Graduate thesis on Python-related subject

[Sam Schulenburg]

I found that the amount of lines of code removed due to refractoring the
application is never recognized by management in defining the efficiency of
a program. Also scripting languages tend to provide better wrappers, that
hide the complexity of an application.

Sam Schulenburg

<hat at se-46.wpa.wtb.tue.nl> wrote in message
news:mailman.988227001.4064.python-list at python.org...
> In comp.lang.python, you wrote:
> >
> >I'm planning to do my graduate thesis (pro gradu) for MsC on (yet
> >unconfirmed and still vague) subject tightly related to Python.  In
> >short, the main goal is to test hypothesis that a program (or some other
> >piece of code) written in a very high level language or scripting
> >language (specifically Python in my study) is 3-10 times shorter
> >measured in lines of code than a program written in traditional system
>
> I consider this a somewhat naive hypothesis to test. If you take a problem
that
> needs primitives easily expressed in Python, and not in <another
language>,
> sure, the program is shorter.
> (obvious example: string processing (although Perl is better at it)).
>
> On the other hand, if I select a problem oriented for a logical language,
and
> I compare Python with Prolog, I know I can describe the problem in less
code
> in the latter langyage.
>
>
>
> I consider #lines of code (in whatever definition of line) not very
useful. In
> fact, in the past years, I have moved away from considering #lines
anything
> near relevant.
> The real criterium of choosing a language is thus different. I haven't
figured
> out what exactly, but concepts like 'readability' play an important role
imho.
>
> >forthcoming research would be to study measuring overall (why, what,
> >how) and to speculate on scripting languages in general.  I know that
> >the main subject (measuring Python programs) would be kind of "stating
>
> Covering everything is way too complex imho.
> There are good reasons for us to end up with a particular choice. In
general,
> we consider every choice we make the best option at that time.
> That is valid for just about everything, from operating systems, editors,
> favourite language, to the colour of the furniture.
>
> In other words, I choose Python when I consider Python to be the best
candidate
> for the job, and I choose C++ when I consider that language better for the
> particular problem I need to solve.
>
> Therefore, I don't understand what you gain by comparing solving the same
> problem in 2 languages, and comparing the result.
>
> >research, so no new scientific results is required) is that hopefully
> >this kind of work could be ("sort of") referenced and "the obvious"
>
> Getting stuff mentioned is not that difficult. Getting stuff noticed is
the
> real challenge. In the latter case, you need to have a firm base of
logical
> assumptions. As I tried to do above, I am not convinced that #lines is
anything
> near relevant.
>
> >would be somewhere stated explicitely.  Also my intention would be to
> >study (possible) special features of Python.  Now (after the short
> >introduction :-), my question would be:
> >
> >Is there "official" (or other) interest in such study?
> >
> >The reason for me to ask this is that in Helsinki University we are
> >supposed to write graduate thesis in one's native language, but it is
> >possible to write it in english.  Now, I'm still not sure whether I
> >should write it in english.  If there would be some real interest for
>
> You should reverse the question imho.
> School is the last place where you can spend time learning. As soon as you
> finish school, and go to work, you are supposed to work. That is, you
perform
> tricks you learned on school upon request from your boss.
> (I know this is a somewhat negative attitude towards work, but he, I work
at a
> university... :-) )
> The goal of work (and your boss) is to earn money, not to develop you
further.
>
> Learning anything after leaving school is a lot more difficult than before
> leaving school. Also, at school you are allowed to fail. If you try
writing
> English, but it doesn't go as planned, you'll just need more time to
finish the
> thesis. In a company, you have a hard deadline of finishing a report, and
if
> you fail, you lose a customer (not something that you want to happen too
often).
>
> >this kind of study, I could very well write it in english.  (If I would
> >get e-mail from the BDFL, I wouldn't have to hesitate at all ;-).
> >Related, one has to do an explicit application to be allowed to write
> >the thesis in english and a short motivation from someone other than me
> >wouldn't hurt.  :-)
>
> At the end of the year, there is 1 big Europe. Do you think finnish is the
> common language that will be spoken in Europe ? I have some serious
questions
> with that assumption. In that perspective, your school should prepare its
> students for a future in Europe rather than Finland.
> (I have to confess that don't know whether Finland is part of Europe, but
even
> if it is not, having a big neighbour 'Europe' on the other side of the
border
> does have its impact).
> For you, it means you can move around in Europe if you choose to do so.
>
>
> Albert
> --
> Signature is being repaired, sorry for the inconvenience
>